Hmm, I really don't like my tank right now!!

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kira

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Kira
I did a 100% water change on Saturday, because I did a reno on my tank. New pretty sand(yes washed well), real plants(a first for me) and some decos.

Anyway, I checked my ammonia on Sunday =0 and Monday =0, and today it was 1!! I also checked nitrites and nitrates and have had 0 on Sunday and Monday (like i would expect!). Today I have nitrite 0 and nitrate 20. What is going on???

Yes, I am using test tube tests, and I have done a 20% water change (normally done every 2 days as well as spot cleaning. But yesterday I was sick so I couldn't)
 
Hi Kira,

It sounds like your tank has been thrown into a 'mini cycle'.

By taking all of the water out and replacing with 100% fresh new water, replacing all the substrate, adding new plants and more decorations your beneficial bacterias are trying to readjust to all the changes.

The old substrate you had in the tank was a large surface area which would have housed a lot of bacteria, and now it's gone the bacteria has to repopulate a new large surface area.

The bacteria collonises on all surface areas of the tank, substrate, filter media, ornaments, tank walls...everything and now that all this has been disrupted, the bacteria has also been disrupted allowing ammonia to spike.

You will need to monitor the water parameters daily and do daily partial water changes until the tank re-completes it's cycle.

When renovating my tanks, I put all tank items in a bucket soaking in the tank water to preserve the bacterias living on the surfaces. I then transfer as much of the tank water as I can to a large plastic tub and then when renovations are complete, transfer everything back and bucket the old water back into the tank.

PS. I hope you are feeling better! :happy:
 
Cool thanks Jacq. Trust me to stuff it all up:D LOL. Hmmm maybe I do like my tank afterall!
 
How high should I expect my ammonia to spike??? It's still at 1.

How high should it be after a 25% daily water change??? After the change, its at 0.25
 
kira said:
How high should I expect my ammonia to spike??? It's still at 1.

How high should it be after a 25% daily water change??? After the change, its at 0.25
Click to expand...

Hi Kira,

Ammonia is unpredictable as to how high it will spike.

pH and higher water temperatures also will increase the Ammonia levels: http://www.axolotl.org/requirements.htm#pH
 
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